Charlotte Police Fatally Shoot Man In University City, Setting Off Night of Protests

Charlotte Magazine Staff,

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer shot and killed a man in north Charlotte Tuesday afternoon. About 90 minutes later, the department issued a press release that said the man had been sitting in a vehicle and got out with a firearm and “posed an imminent deadly threat” to officers. They’d gone there to issue a warrant to another man, police said.

Around the same time, though, a woman who identified herself as the man’s daughter recorded a Facebook Live video and said he didn’t have a gun. As the evening went on, several media outlets reported that other family members said the man was reading a book.

Just before 10 p.m., CMPD announced that the deceased man’s name was 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott. The officer, Brentley Vinson, has been with the department since July 21, 2014 and has been placed on paid administrative leave. Multiple news outlets reported that both Scott and Vinson are black.

As midnight approached, Old Concord Road became the scene of tense protests the likes of which our city hasn’t seen in recent years. Several officers were injured, CMPD tweeted. On Wednesday, 13 months to the day after the trial of Randall Kerrick, the officer who killed Jonathan Ferrell in 2013, ended in a mistrial, Charlotte will again wake up at the forefront of the nation’s tension over relationships between police officers and black people.

We had writers Adam Rhew and Greg Lacour at the protests, along with photographer Logan Cyrus. We’ll have stories throughout the day Wednesday.

Here are some early images, tweets, and releases:

Initial CMPD release, 5:25 pm.

Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Homicide Unit are conducting an officer involved shooting investigation that occurred in the 9600 block of Old Concord Road in the University City Division. 

On Tuesday, September 20, 2016, at 3:54 p.m., officers from the Metro Division Crime Reduction Unit were searching for a suspect with an outstanding warrant on him at The Village at College Downs. Officers observed a subject inside a vehicle in the apartment complex. The subject exited the vehicle armed with a firearm. Officers observed the subject get back into the vehicle at which time they began to approach the subject. The subject got back out of the vehicle armed with a firearm and posed an imminent deadly threat to the officers who subsequently fired their weapon striking the subject. The officers immediately requested Medic and began performing CPR.

Medic responded to the scene and transported the subject to Carolinas Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased. The identity of the subject and officer involved will be released pending family notification.

Detectives recovered the firearm the subject was holding at the time of the shooting at the scene. Detectives are currently interviewing witnesses who witnessed this incident.

As is standard procedure with any officer involved shooting, the Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct a separate but parallel investigation to determine whether CMPD policies and procedures were adhered to during the course of the incident. Per department protocol, the officer will be placed on Administrative Leave.

Crime Scene Search responded to the call for service to process the scene and collect physical evidence. Representatives of the Internal Affairs Bureau, Real Time Crime, Operations Command and Special Investigations responded to the scene. 

This is an active and ongoing investigation. As additional information develops it will be released by CMPD Public Affairs.    

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective.  Detective Grande is the lead detective assigned to the case. The public can also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or visit the Crime Stoppers mobile app website at http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/. 

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Second CMPD release, 9:58 p.m.:

The member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department that was involved in the shooting has been identified as Officer Brentley Vinson. As is standard procedure with any officer involved shooting, Officer Vinson has been placed on paid Administrative Leave.  Officer Vinson has been employed with the CMPD since July 21, 2014 and is currently assigned to the Metro Division. 

The deceased subject has been identified as Keith Lamont Scott, DOB: 03/02/1973.  His family has been notified of his death.  

This is an ongoing, active investigation. As further information develops it will be released by CMPD Public Affairs.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective.  Detective Grande is the lead detective assigned to the case. The public can also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or visit the Crime Stoppers mobile app website at http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/. 

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This article appears in the September 2016 issue of Charlotte magazine.
Categories: The Buzz

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